As you may or may not know, I’ve recently returned from a trip to Thailand where I spent a couple of nights in flood-ravaged Bangkok. However I managed to chat to a wide variety of people about a wide variety of issues.

From a top level perspective it seemed like there was a preoccupation with elitism, money, cronyism and corruption. Not a pretty picture and all hampering reform, efficiency and innovation.

Are Australian marketing conditions the same?

Unfortunately it seems a similar story with some Australian marketers and their advertising agencies:

  • desire for urgent quick fix solutions
  • lack of long-term planning
  • need to control rather than create healthy governance guidelines
  • supplier / cost relationships
  • lack of ‘value’ based agreements

My point?

People in Bangkok are asking whether things will be different after the floods – will they have washed away the skepticism and allow a fresh new ground for evolution? Personally I doubt Bangkok will with the same bureaucracy in place. It takes healthily positive people to affect real change.

What will it take to change the Australian market?

Will it take a natural disaster or a few good souls to start a groundswell? I live in hope of the latter and only work with people who share the same vision.

What can you do about it?

Whether you’re a marketer or agency ask yourself these 3 questions:

  • what are you really trying to achieve beyond money, growth and control?
  • are you working in a healthy and happy partnership?
  • how can I affect change?

If you need some help, then let’s chat and turn the right lights on for your business.